Search.cal-cmf.com

Search.cal-cmf.com is one of those programs that might cause certain computer security problems even if they are not genuine malware infections. It is a browser hijacker, and as such it will change your browser’s settings. Browser hijackers do that because of monetary purposes, trying to make as much money as possible. Although they cannot steal your money from you directly, they can still cause a number of security issues you should not ignore. Therefore, it would be for the best to remove Search.cal-cmf.com from your system as soon as possible. For detailed instructions, scroll down to the bottom of this description.

The easiest way to get infected with a browser hijacker is to download freeware applications from file-sharing sites. Albeit file-sharing websites do not intend to infect you with malware or anything, unreliable third parties can easily use them as a platform for their program distribution. The same applies to those who develop Search.cal-cmf.com. The browser hijacker does not have a direct distribution source because no one would want to add this program to their browser willingly. This domain may look like a decent search engine, but it is easy to see that Search.cal-cmf.com is potentially harmful, seeing how much of commercial and third-party content it displays.

Therefore, it is extremely important that you take into consideration your current web browsing habits. Computer security experts might constantly emphasize the necessity of a powerful antispyware tool, but the tool will not help if you continue to run into malicious programs online. Also, whenever you download apps from file-sharing sites, you should consider checking all the steps on the installation wizard when you install them. It is very likely that the third-party installation wizard will inform you about the additional programs and apps that are about to be added your PC. It is up to you to choose to avoid them.

If you must have a new application, make sure you download it from its official homepage. As you can see, relying on a third-party source can lead to various intrusions that would, later on, jeopardize your system’s security. However, the good thing about Search.cal-cmf.com is that there are a lot of similar browser hijackers out there. For example, we know that this program is similar to Search.searchlttrn.com, Search.yourpackagesnow.com, Search.yourmapscenter.com, and other browser hijackers that employ the same distribution manners. Thus, if we knew how to deal with these previously released applications, we will definitively know what to do with Search.cal-cmf.com, too.

Perhaps the most annoying thing about this browser hijacker is that it takes over your default homepage. It does not matter which browser you use: the program equally affects Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer. It will change your default homepage, and it will look like you have a new search engine with additional functions. The domain will also have shortcuts to popular websites. For instance, it will offer you shortcuts to Amazon, Gmail, Yahoo!, Wal-Mart, and other known pages. The thing is that you can easily add shortcuts to these pages on your browser’s shortcut bar, and it is highly doubtful whether you need to rely on a third party for such things.

What’s more, Search.cal-cmf.com will also display modified search results that will be customized according to your web browsing habits. It means that the program collects information about the websites you visit and the keywords you use when you search for something. Albeit this kind of data cannot betray your sensitive personal information, it can still help the intruder to customize search results that might look like something you might be interested in. And if you find something interesting, there is a bigger chance that you will click it. This is exactly what Search.cal-cmf.com wants: your clicks. Your clicks help the browser hijacker make money, and while it is not illegal, the practice can always expose you to potentially harmful content you must avoid.

It is clear that to protect your computer and your personal information from malicious exploitation you have to remove Search.cal-cmf.com right now. While the manual removal is not too complicated, you can always get yourself a powerful antispyware tool that will help you terminate this browser hijacker and several other threats that are bound to be installed on your system.

How to Remove Search.cal-cmf.com

Internet Explorer

Press Win+R and the Run prompt will open.

Type regedit into the Open box. Click OK.

Open HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\InternetExplorer\Main.

Right-click the Start Page value on the right pane.

Press Modify and edit your homepage address. Press OK.

Firefox

Press Win+R and enter %AppData%. Press OK.

Navigate to Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\[User ID].

Open the prefs.js file with Notepad.

Remove the following string: user_pref("browser.startup.homepage", "Search.cal-cmf.com");